We’ve all heard of the blue pill AKA Viagra, the wonder pill that takes care of male libido. But not many may know that Viagra has a female counterpart, Addyi (pronounced add-ee). It was introduced and approved by the FDA in 2015 and was prescribed to treat problems of the waning female libido. Back then, the company ran into a bit of trouble and the pill didn’t sell well.

So it has been launched again in 2018 for at $25 for a month’s prescription, half its original price, and is available online for anyone who wishes to buy it. It’s a telemedicine, which means it can be sold after you connect with the company’s healthcare professionals over the phone or the internet. Here’s what you need to know about Addyi before you buy it.

What’s A Female Viagra?

Female Viagra was the media-given nickname for Addyi. But the actual mechanism of the drug was entirely different from its blue counterpart. Addyi is the brand name for Flibanserin, a multimodal serotonin-releasing drug. You’d be surprised to know that the drug was originally meant to treat depressive disorders. But its clinical trials bore unsuccessful results for depression.

Strangely, one of its side effects was increased libido in women. The drug developer Boehringer Ingelheim filed for a new drug application with the FDA for using Flibanserin to treat female hypoactive sexual desire disorder or HSDD. After a new failed trials, the drug was finally approved in August 2015 as the world’s first drug for treating women’s sexual arousal disorder.

How Does it Work?

Female Viagra, the colloquial name for Addyi, is actually a misnomer because it doesn’t work in the same way as Viagra does. The blue pill meant for men increases blood flow, making it easier for men to have and retain erections. Whereas Addyi works on the parts of the brain that have to do with sexual desire.

Flibanserin increases the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, two chemicals that play a critical role in causing sexual excitement. Norepinephrine stimulates sexual arousal and dopamine boosts desire.

What Are Its Effects?

The website claims that the drug helped women with HSDD tackle with one or more of their symptoms.

• Increased sexual desire

• Increase in the number of times the women had satisfying sex, masturbation, oral sex or genital stimulation

• A decrease in distress caused by lack of sexual activity

But the website also adds a disclaimer that the results of the drug may vary. Since it’s a prescription drug, prior consultation with your doctor is a must.

How Should You Take The Drug?

According to the drug’s official website, a 100 mg pill has to be taken every day at bedtime. Although it doesn’t matter whether you take it on an empty stomach or not, taking the pill with food increases its absorption.

But it shouldn’t be taken during the daytime since there’s a risk for drowsiness, low blood pressure and fainting. If you see no difference in eight weeks, the drug should be discontinued.

(Reference: Flibanserin (Addyi) The First FDA-Approved Treatment for Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder in Premenopausal Women)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 15, 2018 10:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).